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"Being regarded as a hero feels wonderful, but their enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming," Eddie said helplessly as Garchomp landed a few kilometers outside Dark City.
Once someone achieves fame, such situations become commonplace. Fortunately, Eddie had experience managing these circumstances and could simply leave when necessary.
"Now that Gardevoir has reached Elite level alongside Venusaur and Blastoise, this journey is becoming a rather mundane progression of overwhelming weaker opponents," he mused while observing his newly strengthened Psychic/Fairy-type. "Since I've already captured and registered most Pokemon in this area, I might as well pick up the pace."
Eddie made his decision and headed in a specific direction, having Gardevoir use her psychic abilities to guide their path while maintaining a brisk walking speed.
However, darkness was approaching, meaning he would need to establish camp soon.
"I sent Giovanni packing this morning, visited Pallet Town before noon, then spent the afternoon in Pikachu Forest and dealing with Dark City's gym problem," Eddie reflected on his day's accomplishments. "Today was certainly eventful. I covered quite a bit of ground."
While staying overnight in Dark City would have been comfortable, the townspeople's excessive enthusiasm made camping the preferable option.
Since Eddie would log off to rest anyway, the so-called camping was primarily for his Pokemon's benefit rather than his own.
After walking a bit further as twilight settled, Eddie released all his Pokemon, distributed their evening meals as usual, built a campfire, erected his tent, and informed his team of his plans before logging off for the night.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
"Damn it! I can't believe that guy was Morning Sun—the one all three executives have marked for capture!" Cassidy exclaimed in frustrated disbelief.
"Jessie and James must have known Morning Sun was traveling this route! That's why they dared make that bet with us!" Butch added angrily.
The Team Rocket duo had discovered Eddie's identity only after their humiliating defeat. With their injuries barely treated at a nearby Pokemon Center, they had immediately accessed Team Rocket headquarters' latest intelligence reports.
The wanted poster prominently displayed at the top featured Eddie's photograph unmistakably. Only then did they understand exactly what kind of terrifying opponent they had encountered, instantly losing all confidence in confronting him again.
"Butch, what should we do now? Just return in disgrace? I refuse to be mocked by that idiot Jessie!" Cassidy shook her head repeatedly, clearly imagining her rival's inevitable laughter.
"How can we go back like this? I won't give James the satisfaction of laughing at me!" Butch replied through gritted teeth.
"Don't panic. We'll find a solution. Let me think this through first..." Butch, considering himself the intellectual of their partnership, began contemplating their options.
Direct confrontation with Eddie was absolutely impossible—they would never risk provoking him again, even under threat of death. After all, Eddie represented someone all three Team Rocket executives treated with extreme caution. What could two trainers with merely advanced-level Pokemon possibly accomplish against such power?
Therefore, confrontation was completely unacceptable. This time they had apparently been shown mercy, but who could guarantee Eddie wouldn't use lethal force in a future encounter?
However, returning in shame to face Jessie and James' mockery seemed equally unbearable. As the saying went, you could lose anything except your dignity—especially not to your greatest rivals.
"Butch, have you figured something out yet?" Cassidy asked impatiently.
"Actually, I have devised a method that avoids facing Morning Sun while still allowing us to mock Jessie and James upon our return!" Butch announced with growing excitement.
"What method? Tell me immediately!" Cassidy grabbed Butch's shoulders and shook him vigorously in her enthusiasm.
However, her excited behavior left Butch speechless and dizzy from the shaking.
"Stop, stop, stop shaking me! What if you make me forget the solution?" Butch protested, his complaint successfully halting Cassidy's assault.
"I nearly fainted from that," Butch said, shaking his head to clear it. "The method is actually quite simple. Do you remember the specific terms of our bet with James and the others?"
Butch decided to pace himself, asking Cassidy a question while pouring himself a glass of water to recover.
"Of course I remember the bet! We go south and accomplish something—anything—successfully, then we can return and taunt Jessie and the others!" Cassidy recited. "Conversely, if we fail, we have to address them as 'big brother' and 'big sister' while enduring their mockery!"
"I can't believe those two deliberately withheld information about that Team Rocket opponent being in this area!" she added, grinding her teeth at the thought of Jessie's potential laughter.
"Then we simply continue south and achieve something noteworthy. Success still allows us to mock those two when we return," Butch declared, flashing a confident grin.
"But with that person around, even our most perfect plans will be violently disrupted," Cassidy pointed out pragmatically. "He's gym leader level, remember? Have you forgotten those Sceptile and Garchomp?"
Cassidy understood Butch's reasoning but worried about their ability to accomplish anything meaningful.
"Naive, Cassidy, you're still too naive," Butch said, wagging his index finger condescendingly.
Smack!
"Are you looking for trouble? Want me to give you another one?" Cassidy threatened, raising her fist after delivering an iron punch to Butch's head.
"You already hit me..." Butch complained, holding his struck head. Seeing Cassidy prepare to continue, he quickly explained his thoughts.
"Listen, we certainly can't defeat Morning Sun, but why must we face him directly?"
"That's obvious nonsense! It's not that we want to face him—he'll definitely interfere when he sees us causing trouble!" Cassidy replied, preparing to punch Butch several more times.
"That's exactly the key point! If he wants to stop our activities, he has to see them first!"
"If he doesn't know about or witness our operations, how can he possibly interfere?"
"What do you mean? Be more specific!"
"Simply put, we can do this and that..." Butch began outlining his plan with growing confidence.